For the Love of the Game
by Finnegan0724
Summary: When the citizens of Storybrooke agreed to a friendly community baseball game, they never would have imagined how it would end. SwanQueen


**A/N: Just something that's been sitting on my computer for a long time now. Hope y'all enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the show, though I wouldn't mind leasing a few of the characters.**

"We're losing," Henry huffed as he collapsed on the bleachers net to his mother, waving in the general direction of the baseball field where what should have been a friendly game between the townspeople had turned decidedly competitive.

Regina tucked her son under her arm and smiled. "I can see that, dear, but that doesn't mean you had to stop playing. It's just a game, after all."

"Emma kicked me off the field after Jefferson threatened to transport the entire game to Neverland."

The mayor's eyes widened in response. In the third inning with the bases loaded and Snow White at bat, she had known the game had taken the final slide past a gentleman's game when Ruby lodged a formal protest against Snow being allowed anywhere near a bat due to her petrified shrieks and non-existent batting skills. The wolf argued that no matter how Good the schoolteacher was, she just couldn't hit a baseball to save her life and should thusly be placed on snack duty for the rest of the game. "Jefferson was bluffing, dear. His hat can only transport two individuals at a time, not an entire town."

"We still suck," Henry protested as Snow struck out for the second time that day. It didn't help that she continued to shriek whenever the ball came near her. He loved his grandmother but he was really starting to consider switching to the so-called Evil team if Good kept wasting its time at bat with the former queen.

"You don't...suck," Regina countered, fumbling over the word. "It's the good-for-nothing fairy tale characters you've got on your team who have never seen a baseball before, let alone know what to do with it, who suck. Do you want to play the rest of the game, Henry?"

The eleven year old nodded gamely, patting off the dirt collected on his torn jeans as he stumbled off the bleachers to follow after his mother who had already stormed ahead.

"Change of plans, Miss Swan," the mayor marked as she strut across the dirt lot to home base to where the sheriff was preparing for Maleficent's pitch. "Give me the bat."

Emma blinked once in confusion at the brunette and then huffed in amusement. "Sorry, Madam Mayor, but I'm up and you said you didn't want to play. Although, I heard a little rumor that George was going to sit out the rest of the game, so you might try Team Evil; it might be a little more up your alley."

"Give me the bat, dear, before I lodge it somewhere unpleasant," Regina replied sweetly, taking the opportunity to snag the piece of metal from the savior's hands as the other woman contemplated the legitimacy of the threat. "Henry wants to play and I want him to win, so I'm up."

The blonde laughed, belting out a righteous sound that resounded across the field at the thought of the Evil Queen playing baseball with a bunch of her former constituents. "You? You're going to play baseball in Prada and stilettos? And, what, show us all how it's done? Go sit back on the bleachers, Regina. If Henry wants to play, then he can join Paige, Ava, and Nicolas behind the outfield with Granny and Marco."

"I would suggest you move, dear. I wouldn't want to be blamed for any unfortunate head injuries that might befall you."

Emma threw up her hands in equal parts defeat and amusement. It was likely that they would lose anyway; True Love not having the power to overcome Maleficent's fastball and Hook's remarkable one-handed catching technique. "Have at it, 'Gina," she said with a shrug. "Show us all how this done, but, personally, I don't think you can do it."

The mayor leaned in closer to her dear sheriff, encroaching on the woman's personal space. "Care to make a bet?"

"Fine. You strike out, we come out to the town."

"That's it? All I have to do is miss all three balls and you get to tell your friends, your family that you've been sleeping with the Evil Queen since last year."

Emma nodded slowly, leaning away from her girlfriend. There was no way a woman who spent the majority of her life in either a castle or on an estate, and later in an office was going to be able to hit even one of those balls. It would take a miracle, luckily for her. "That's all I've wanted, Regina, for a while now. We stop hiding if you strike out, and you get three whole chances to get out of it. Simple as that."

"What do I get if I manage to hit the ball?"

"If you can actually hit it, not tap it, then you can have whatever you want."

With a politician's smile, Regina smirked. "I'd like to defer my decision of terms, but don't look so worried, dear, it's nothing you'll need to concern yourself with. No lasting bodily injury, I promise." The mayor spun on her heel and set up at the base, nodding once to her old friend on the pitcher's mound. "And, Miss Swan," she threw over her shoulder, "I'm only going to need one chance."

* * *

Beside Emma, Henry frowned at the sight of his adoptive mother at bat. "What is she doing?"

"I think she's trying to win the game for you, kid, but we should probably get off the field in case that bat goes rogue."

Henry scrambled behind his blonde mother, settling himself at the chain link fence that separated the bleachers from the field. His mom was batting for Good, literally, and he wasn't going to miss a minute of it. He watched closely as she set up, bat swinging easily over her shoulder as she took a couple of practice swings.

Thunk!

Emma's mouth dropped open, gaping widely. What the hell? She watched the ball skim past Hook on third and sail neatly through the air over back fence. How did a woman in stilettos and a skirt hit a damn home run off a pitcher who had so far bested nearly all of their players? Better question: how did she manage to run over the dirt in those heels without falling over? Emma watched her girlfriend take a congratulatory jog to first base, order Neal forward, and continue on her way like a pageant winner out for a turn around the stage back to home.

"How? Where? How?"

"Don't strain yourself, dear. It's not that complicated." Regina turned to Henry and directed him back to the dugout. "Go tell Charming that you're taking over for Archie. Perhaps Ruby will have fetched the ball back by the time you've warmed up."

"How?" Emma repeated, staring out at the field.

"You keep saying that like it's a difficult skill to master. Didn't you ever play as a child?"

"Stickball," the blonde revealed. "But I never learned how to hit like that. Did you use magic?"

"Only the magic of watching baseball in a near religious fashion when I first enacted the curse, dear." Regina shrugged lightly, as if it was no big deal. "You tend to pick up some helpful pointers when there is nothing to distract you; the rest is instincts and reflexes, both of which I have honed over the years. I'm looking forward to pitching in the next inning if Ruby will allow me to."

"That was-"

"I won the bet," the mayor interrupted. "Which means you don't get to tell the town about us."

Emma's eyes widened, incredulous. "That's what you want? For me to be completely silent about us? Regina, no!"

"I never named my terms, dear, and unless you've gained the ability to read minds, I still haven't."

"You're a real bitch, you know that," the sheriff spat, ready to spin on her heel to leave. "It's not like anyone here cares-"

"Precisely," Regina interrupted again, frustrated by the lack of understanding the other woman's part. "My terms are an extension of your original offer. I'm telling you that my winnings will be you telling the town that we're getting married."

"Is that a proposal or a demand?"

"I won," the brunette stated simply, ignoring the question altogether.

Emma grinned until her cheeks threatened to split apart as she propelled herself at the other woman, wrapping her limbs around her until they were forced back against the fence.

* * *

On the field, the players gathered in small bunches to watch the happenings between the savior and the Evil Queen, curious as to why the sheriff had suddenly launched herself at the woman while grinning like a loon.

"Thought she played for our team," Hook ventured as he expertly caught the missing ball from Ruby.

"You should know that the Queen bats for the other team now, Killian," Maleficent responded with a sly grin.


End file.
